


Thornute Week 2020 Day 1: Protect / Pressure

by vergissmeinnxcht, vinterborn



Category: Vinland Saga (Anime), Vinland Saga (Manga)
Genre: M/M, Thornute, ThornuteWeek2020, protective hugs, thorfinn is awkward what's new, two bros chilling in a wagon 5 feet apart bc they're not gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-31
Updated: 2020-08-31
Packaged: 2021-03-07 02:28:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26219386
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/vergissmeinnxcht/pseuds/vergissmeinnxcht, https://archiveofourown.org/users/vinterborn/pseuds/vinterborn
Summary: The prince really was too pretty for his own good. Straight royal nose, full lips and and eyes blue like the summer sky... No- what the fuck was he thinking, they were in the middle of a fucking ambush!
Relationships: Canute/Thorfinn (Vinland Saga)
Kudos: 54





	Thornute Week 2020 Day 1: Protect / Pressure

The wind was icy and first snow painted the scenery white. Late evening sun made the horizon shine golden, competing with Canute’s hair. Its strands shone like the finest silk, framing his porcelain doll face and flowing down his skinny frame and exquisite red cape. The prince’s polished and royal appearance was quite opposite to the boy sitting in front of him. Thorfinn’s wheat blonde hair had never seen a brush, his worn clothes were smudged by blood, mud and dirt.  
  
The boy had his arms crossed over his chest and the cloth clutched inside a balled fist. He was fucking pissed and furious about this bullshit, he had done so much and gained nothing in return. Askeladd’s debt piled high and the young warrior would collect his share no matter what. The mercenary was his prey, neither for Thorkell or the English to kill. He had to keep an eye out, these Welsh were neither friends nor allies. In the case something went wrong Thorfinn wanted to be there to do whatever needed to be done.  
  
It wasn’t possible now though, for he had been assigned to babysit prince Canute. The ridiculously pretty, feminine man who eyed him from under those long, blonde lashes. This was something new and while not entirely unpleasant Thorfinn had no idea what the royal wanted. He didn’t like being observed or examined and Thorfinn restrained himself from snarling at the prince, whose shy gazes got more annoying day by day. Usually he was left to his own devices by the vikings for no one paid attention to the grumpy boy tailing at Askeladd’s heel.  
  
"What?" Thorfinn hissed, shuffling into a better position. He was annoyed and ready to throw hands - like it was Canute's fault he'd been put to the task.  
  
"Not happy with Askeladd's choice? Too bad everyone's got hands full with more important things,” Thorfinn scoffed. He felt like being mean, for those empty deer eyes made his skin crawl. The prince of course was their most important thing and Askeladd trusted Thorfinn's honour as a warrior. The viking boy would keep his part of the deal as long as he got his duel.   
  
“Stop staring if you got nothing to say,” Thorfinn grumbled, brows furrowed and mouth twisted. Canute's eyes widened in shock and the prince quickly averted his gaze. Instead of confronting the quarrelsome boy Canute just stepped down, accepting the insult. It made Thorfinn feel kinda bad seeing the prince turn away, wrapping the red cape tighter around himself.  
  
Something about Canute's gold framed gaze was so captivating and calming. As if a forest pond was staring back at him, smooth and serene. Thorfinn felt like touching its surface, slipping in the water and letting the woods around disappear. He didn't want Canute to look away.  
  
Narrowing his eyes the warrior huffed, turning away to hide the blush that had begun to redden his cheeks. “For fuck’s sa-”  
  
A sudden battlecry interrupted the viking’s muttering, alerting the mercenaries guarding the prince’s carriage. Thorfinn jumped up to scan the area just as the wagon beneath his feet tugged to a halt, sending him stumbling towards the royal. He reflexively tried to grab onto something, hand taking a hold of Canute's cape and before the warrior was able to notice how he pulled the other boy down with him. As the world around them plunged into chaos they met the bottom of the wagon, limbs entangled and chests colliding.  
  
Thorfinn gasped as the air left his lungs for a moment. The prince managed to catch himself on his lower arms, unceremoniously slamming them down on both sides of the viking's head. He was thankful for Canute's reflexes so Thorfinn only hit the back of his head and his face was spared. Save for bruises to his elbows the prince would be okay, it would’ve been the end of Thorfinn if he hurt the danish royal.  
  
Their faces were mere inches apart and the boy felt his ears and cheeks burning. Canute's hair fell around them like a curtain, shutting off the outside world and the only sound Thorfinn heard was his own racing heart. The wood around them silenced some sounds - or it was the blood rushing to his ears that muted everything else. Thorfinn tried to focus on the events around them instead of staring at the prince’s face. Ambush, by whom remained a mystery. Men were running around and shouting, words slurred to a buzzing backdrop as the sound of arrows flying dangerously close to the wagon filled the air.  
  
Had Thorkell already caught up to them? No, the giant would have told his men to leave Canute unharmed. The royal was far too valuable for those who knew how to take advantage. His shock was mirrored in Canute's expression before the prince buried his head in the crook of Thorfinn’s neck. The prince smelled of perfumed soap, iron and clean furs and it was dizzying, all too much and Thorfinn had to remind himself how to breathe.  
  
Someone shouted real close, throwing the viking out of his daze and Thorfinn looked up as if he could see something from under Canute. Wrapping an arm around the prince the boy shielded his neck, pressing Canute low onto him. A meaty slash, thud and something hit the side of the carriage. A man died - next seconds telling Thorfinn it had been an enemy.  
  
The young royal appeared to be in a state of shock, his breathing erratic and body tense, trembling hands clinging to the warrior. Surely the attack had shaken Canute, he had left his first battlefield not long ago and was still in no condition to survive any confrontation that was to be settled with a sword. A spoiled and useless brat, yet Thorfinn couldn’t bring himself to hate Canute as much as he would usually treat a dead weight. Was it some odd kind of pity? It didn’t matter now.  
  
Shoving a hand up the viking pushed Canute up to a sitting position, hastily grabbing a shield. Thorfinn ended up on the royal’s lap, pressing the prince against the side of the wagon. Their heads were no more than a hand’s width apart now, and the warrior did his best to pointedly stare into any other direction than the fair face right in front of his. He needed to- no, had to focus on this moment and ensure the prince’s safety, there was no other option.  
  
A bolt hit the shield, making Canute whimper and loop his arms around Thorfinn’s middle. The viking cursed, knees hitting the wooden surface when the prince brought them flush together. Thorfinn was now full on straddling the other boy's hips, pulled to this position by his waist and locked there with Canute’s arms around him. The viking had just managed to even out his breathing but there was no way to calm his racing heart. It was way too intimate, way too much but Thorfinn couldn't move - didn't want to.  
  
The shouting around the two grew louder without the viking registering much of it. Thorfinn brushed a piece of wood from the prince’s hair, fingertips ghosting over his temple. It was enthralling to have the prince this close. Straight, royal nose, full lips and fine jaw. Eyes blue like the summer sky, framed by long lashes that would’ve totally made any girl jealous. The prince really was too pretty for his own good, Askeladd's men kept calling him Freya. Thorfinn had eyes, he could very well see why. The royal was often called girly for a reason yet up close he was a man like any other. He smelled like a man, felt like a man, although a very soft one compared to the vikings. No- what the fuck was he thinking, they were in the middle of a fucking ambush!  
  
There were a dozen men around them, fighting off the attackers yet one stray bolt would be enough to end it all. One did not even have to aim for Canute if fate decided he was destined to die there in Thorfinn’s arms, their oh so valuable treasure losing all its worth in the blink of an eye. The viking had to only hold his shield in the wrong angle, an archer in his blind spot and the prince's cape would soon turn a darker shade of red.  
  
Thorfinn stayed in the trembling arms of the prince of Denmark, waiting for the battle to be over while at the same time wanting to linger there forever. He felt Canute’s chest heaving with every shaky breath the royal took, surrounded by his warmth. The prince must be able to feel his heartbeat, Thorfinn squeezed his eyes shut. In a half-hearted attempt to hide the rising blush on his cheeks he shuffled closer, shielding Canute with his body and waiting for the arrows to stop.  
  
"You good?" Thorfinn mumbled, leaning back, face flushed and ears red. His arms were numb with exhaustion, legs heavy as if they had been filled with lead. The arrow-pierced shield dropped down next to them but Canute’s eyes didn't leave the boy. He was still so close to the prince, sitting on his upper thighs. Thorfinn watched as Canute’s full lips tried to form words, wondering to himself if they felt as soft as they looked. His own lips were always chapped and weather beat. Was it even possible to have soft lips in these conditions? They had to be soft, everything about Canute seemed to lack the edges and hardness of the surrounding world.   
  
"Hah, what on earth are you doing with the prince there Thorfinn?" Askeladd's voice violently snapped Thorfinn back to reality, head thrown to the side as if the words had hit him. It took a mere second for the viking boy to see their position from another's perspective. Canute pushed against a crate, his hand resting on Thorfinn’s waist. Thank gods he'd straightened up and was no longer pressed to the prince's body. Thorfinn’s hand was placed just next to Canute's head and their faces were close, too close - and very flustered, oh fuck. Thorfinn jumped back like he'd been burnt, crouching on the other side of the carriage.  
  
"I was protecting him!" The viking boy shouted, covering his reddened face with one hand. Anger sparked in his eyes as they saw Askeladd’s shit eating grin.  
  
"You owe me a fucking thanks baldy!" Thorfinn yelled and swished away into the woods, Askeladd's laughter ringing in his ears. He was in deep trouble - and not because of Askeladd. 


End file.
